Editor's Review

Kenya has signed six Global Fund grants amounting to Sh 59.7 billion.

The Kenyan government on Monday, June 24 signed six Global Fund grants amounting to $407,989,068 (Sh 59.7 billion).

In a statement, the Ministry of Health said the grant will support HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria interventions and strengthen health and community systems between July 2024 and June 2027.

Of the total amount, $232,580,654(Sh30 billion) will be allocated to HIV, $72,934,665 (Sh9.4 billion) to malaria, $67,785,529 (Sh8.7 billion) to TB, and $34,688,220 (Sh4.4 billion) to strengthen health systems.

“This investment is a good example of multi-partner investment over a period of time. Building resilient systems takes a lot of time and resilience. KEMSA, Development Partners, and other stakeholders should be congratulated for achieving this milestone,” read the statement in part.

The Ministry of Health noted that the new Global Fund grants will support the provision of quality treatment and prevention services for all people living with TB, leprosy, and lung disease, and contribute to the achievement of universal health coverage through comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment and care.

File image of Health CS Susan Nakhumicha

The grants will also be used to reduce malaria incidence and deaths by at least 75 percent by 2027, strengthen health systems at facility and community levels, and procure TB, malaria, and HIV commodities, including drugs, laboratory supplies, and test kits.

Further, the funds will support primary health care activities at the community level in line with the universal health care agenda and Social support and Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) premiums for TB/HIV/Malaria needy patients to access the full SHIF benefit package.

The Global Fund is a partnership between governments, civil society, the private sector, and people affected by diseases to accelerate the end of the AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria epidemics worldwide.

The Kenya Coordinating Mechanism brings together members of government, civil society, the private sector and people living with the disease to submit funding proposals to the Global Fund and to oversee programme implementation.

Since 2003, Global Fund support has helped the country achieve tremendous results, including the construction, equipping and digitisation of the KEMSA National Supply Chain Centre.